I got engaged! Unfortunately....

I really don't care much for the ring. And it's so very non-traditional that when my family saw it I had to explain what it was. (It's yellow mother of pearl crescent moon shaped butterfly "wings" with diamond chips for the "body"). They thought it was costume jewerly. He tried really hard to find something with butterflies, that he basically told me he bought the first one he found. I love him. I love that he tried to get something special since he knows I like butterflies. But people don't realize its an engagement ring. I've only been engaged a day and have gotten several "oh" reactions (not the good kind of "oh") when I showed them my ring. It's taking the joy out of it, especially when my own mother reacted that way. I ended up crying tonight because of it. He says I shouldn't care about what other people say and that he bought it because he wanted something different and special for me, but maybe he just hasn't learned in the years we've known each other how much I do care sometimes.

And....the way it's designed it snags on everything with the "wingtips" because of how they remain straight, pointy, and exposed when I bend my fingers. So when it snags the one lower "wingtip" is then jammed into my knuckle and its already starting to bruise. I already can tell I won't be able to wear it to work as it will snag everywhere when I'm lifting patients and putting on and removing gloves, and shred my knuckle in the process. And it's hurting already. I told him how it made me sad that my family reacted that way to seeing it and showed him the bruising and said how it will make me sad to have a ring that I really can't functionally wear for the majority of my day, but I don't think he really understands. How big a spoiled bitch am I? I want to love it so badly, but right now wearing it really hurts and I don't see any way in which they could alter it to keep it from snagging and pressing into my knuckle. And I don't even know where we would find a wedding band to fit it (even my aunt said "you won't find anything to fit that ring"). And custom bands are $$$$$.

I love him. I don't want to hurt his feelings. The ring is nice, it's special because he gave it to me for our engagement. However I want a ring that I can wear pain-free all day everyday, and not leave it at home since it snags at work. But most of all it's just not...me.

Congratulations on getting engaged. It's sweet of him to go buy a ring that's unusual. I suggest getting a very pretty chain to wear the ring on and going out together for a nice engagement ring that won't bruise your hand. You're not spoiled.

Thank you! I wish I could, but I don't wear necklaces or dangly earrings since it's a risk that our more aggressive patients may rip those off. And it would kind of remove the purpose of it being an engagement ring, when I don't wear it on my finger because it hurts.

Your fiance really needs to listen to you. Right now he sounds invested in his own ideas of what is romantic and is hung up on that. You shouldn't be forced to wear a ring that hurts for any reasons.

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Well it seems like the OP's main issue with the ring is that she doesn't like the design of the ring and that people don't know it's an engagement ring. Personally I think people shown the ring should have enough tact to recognize that the ring is non-traditional and not make the person wearing it feel bad about it.

Thank you! I wish I could, but I don't wear necklaces or dangly earrings since it's a risk that our more aggressive patients may rip those off. And it would kind of remove the purpose of it being an engagement ring, when I don't wear it on my finger because it hurts.

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Actually, I think the fact that it doesn't fit well and hurts is a great out for you. You don't have to tell him you don't like it. You can explain quite truthfully (and feelingly) the physical problems. Then you can work together to find a solution. You will have to work out tons of problems together as a team when you marry. You might as well start now.

Actually, I think the fact that it doesn't fit well and hurts is a great out for you. You don't have to tell him you don't like it. You can explain quite truthfully (and feelingly) the physical problems. Then you can work together to find a solution. You will have to work out tons of problems together as a team when you marry. You might as well start now.

I'm sure that if you tell him how much it means to you that he tried so hard to find something with butterflies and that you love him even more for that BUT, unfortunately, it hurts your finger and isn't something you can wear all the time (WHICH YOU WANT TO DO), he'll understand. You can return this ring and shop together for a ring that is more along the lines of what you'd really like to have. Something you can wear every day .. all day long, which I'm sure is what he wants too.

He sounds like a great guy .. and, bottom line here is, he wants you to have a ring you love. Tactfully done, this shouldn't be a problem.

OTOH, the ring is a symbol - not only of your engagement, but also of the extra effort he went into to get something special for you. You could keep it and just wear it just occasionally. But it will always be there to remind you of his special effort.

I can't wear my heirloom platinum gold wedding ring because I'm allergic to the metal. I can only wear it for a few days at a time before I get a rash. . .but that doesn't make it any less special.

So, it's a tough judgment call. But I'll add that it doesn't matter whether other people don't know it's an engagement ring. You can just tell them.

Your fiance gave you a truly unique engagement ring, and that's not something money itself can buy or something many can say.

As for the ring, you can't wear a ring that is uncomfortable and impractical for what you do every day for the rest of your life. You simply cannot.

You and your fiance are going to have to work this out. If you can afford to keep this ring and get it sized or otherwise adjusted so it is wearable, perhaps it could be a right hand ring for special occasions. For a wedding set, however, you need something practical and comfortable that you love and can wear every day. Explain this to your fiance calmly.

I wish you could post a link on what the ring looks like. I don't think I've ever seen one like described and can't quite picture it from what you described.

When I got engaged, my then husband insisted on designing the ring I would wear based on the style of diamond I liked. I said I liked the marquis cut, and he proceeded to pick out the rest. It was okay, I didn't love it, but hey, it was a diamond.

However, he told me he wanted to pick out his wedding band and that he would not wear an ordinary band that I picked out without his okaying it. So, of course, he picked out an expensive wedding band complete with diamonds and ruby. .

Looking back, that was pretty controlling of him and that's how our marriage proceeded to be for 25 years. So, be careful.

As for the ring, you can't wear a ring that is uncomfortable and impractical for what you do every day for the rest of your life. You simply cannot.

You and your fiance are going to have to work this out. If you can afford to keep this ring and get it sized or otherwise adjusted so it is wearable, perhaps it could be a right hand ring for special occasions. For a wedding set, however, you need something practical and comfortable that you love and can wear every day. Explain this to your fiance calmly.

If you can afford to keep this ring and get it sized or otherwise adjusted so it is wearable, perhaps it could be a right hand ring for special occasions. For a wedding set, however, you need something practical and comfortable that you love and can wear every day. Explain this to your fiance calmly.

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Exactly what I was thinking. Keep the ring if you can and wear it on your anniversary when you go out to dinner.

He needs to listen to you. His ignoring the fact that it hurts your finger & that it isn't something you can wear all the time really bothers me. (Or it could be he is simply clueless.) Regardless, these issues aren't going to go away. This ring needs to be exchanged for something you can wear. Otherwise, after your marriage, you will end up wearing your band all the time & this ring will live in your jewelry box.

I think this is the time to assert yourself. The ring is impractical, nonfunctional and not to your liking. He is sweet for trying to go out and get a ring himself, but some men just have no clue. You shouldn't have to suffer for that. And provided you do it nicely and diplomatically, you and your fiance might even have a great time finding the RIGHT one *together*. And both of you will be happy in the end. I can't imagine a man buying a ring that his fiancee doesn't like and being all that happy/proud about it and making her wear it anyway. Good luck, and congrats.

I'm coming from the other direction as most of the responders here - I think it's telling that woodstock spent the 1st paragraph going on about how other people didn't approve of the ring, and how that made her cry, and only in the 2nd paragraph mentions the fit issues. I agree that if the ring is painful to wear and/or is not compatible with work requirements, it's not going to be an every day ring. But I suspect if other people were oohing and aahhing over the ring, suddenly the fit issues would either not exist, or would be diminished to the point of finding a workaround.

Apparently fiance already knows that woodstock is upset that others don't like the ring (see original post), so any change to the ring is going to include that information.

And....the way it's designed it snags on everything with the "wingtips" because of how they remain straight, pointy, and exposed when I bend my fingers. So when it snags the one lower "wingtip" is then jammed into my knuckle and its already starting to bruise. I already can tell I won't be able to wear it to work as it will snag everywhere when I'm lifting patients and putting on and removing gloves, and shred my knuckle in the process. And it's hurting already. I told him how it made me sad that my family reacted that way to seeing it and showed him the bruising and said how it will make me sad to have a ring that I really can't functionally wear for the majority of my day, but I don't think he really understands. How big a spoiled bitch am I? I want to love it so badly, but right now wearing it really hurts and I don't see any way in which they could alter it to keep it from snagging and pressing into my knuckle. And I don't even know where we would find a wedding band to fit it (even my aunt said "you won't find anything to fit that ring"). And custom bands are $$$$$.

I love him. I don't want to hurt his feelings. The ring is nice, it's special because he gave it to me for our engagement. However I want a ring that I can wear pain-free all day everyday, and not leave it at home since it snagsat work. But most of all it's just not...me.

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After reading other comments and rereading your OP, I think your last paragraph is the key. You want a ring that you can wear it everyday, without pain. I am sure he will understand it and either exchange it for another ring or buy a simple engagement ring.

He says I shouldn't care about what other people say and that he bought it because he wanted something different and special for me, but maybe he just hasn't learned in the years we've known each other how much I do care sometimes.

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How much you care about what other people think?

Did you tell him you wanted a traditional ring? If so, then he didn't listen.
If you didn't tell him then I'd say he's a very attentive guy because he noticed your preference for butterflies and he even bothered enough to go all out and try and get you a butterfly ring. He might have been able to guess that it's not practical, however, he's a guy and he just saw the butterfly ring and didn't think any further. But he made the effort, he wanted something special because he cares and he loves you. Isn't that a lot more worth than what other people think about it? You're marrying him. Not them.

I'd suggest wearing it on a necklace as well, however, you said it wasn't possible, so I second the suggestions of mentioning the issue with work and how it doesn't fit properly and talk it through with him. You'll surely find a solution.

I would also add, as someone else said already, go ring shopping as a couple, people! My husband toyed with the surprise thing (even though we had talked and planned on getting engaged) and went with his sister to look at engagement rings. He decided that I should definitely have a direct say in choosing something I would be wearing every day for the rest of my life. So we made a trip together. And good thing, too, as the rings he and his sister looked at were not at all what I looked at or chose.

Let's not exaggerate 'every day for rest of your life.' My mother stopped wearing her engagement ring years ago. A stoned ring is just too inconvenient if you work needing gloves (she was a dentist), are dealing with small children directly, etc.

But if you don't like it, it hurts, it hurts EMOTIONALLY that people don't realize what it is, you should be able to explain that and he at least needs to acknowledge it. Does he maybe not want to address it because he can't afford to get a second ring and doesn't want to sell/return this one because he put a lot of thought into it?

Let's not exaggerate 'every day for rest of your life.' My mother stopped wearing her engagement ring years ago. A stoned ring is just too inconvenient if you work needing gloves (she was a dentist), are dealing with small children directly, etc.

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I'm not a dentist. And I prefer to wear my ring and any job I have had or anticipate having will not necessitate removing it. Most women I know do wear their rings. Even those with small children. My mother has worn hers every day of her life for nearly 48 years now. My grandmother wore hers for 60+ years and she spent over half of that as a farm wife.

If you or your mother do not, that is your preference. Don't force it on everyone else or consider the choice to wear the ring always something silly that is an "exaggeration.

I'm not a dentist. And I prefer to wear my ring and any job I have had or anticipate having will not necessitate removing it. Most women I know do wear their rings. Even those with small children. My mother has worn hers every day of her life for nearly 48 years now. My grandmother wore hers for 60+ years and she spent over half of that as a farm wife.

If you or your mother do not, that is your preference. Don't force it on everyone else or consider the choice to wear the ring always something silly that is an "exaggeration.

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I don't have an engagement ring, only occasionally wear my plain gold wedding band and have been happily married for almost 35 years.

If you don't, that is your preference. Don't force it on everyone else or consider the choice to not wear the ring always something silly that is an "exaggeration".

Congratulations on your engagement, woodstock. Much happiness in the future.

Did you tell him you wanted a traditional ring? If so, then he didn't listen.
If you didn't tell him then I'd say he's a very attentive guy because he noticed your preference for butterflies and he even bothered enough to go all out and try and get you a butterfly ring. He might have been able to guess that it's not practical, however, he's a guy and he just saw the butterfly ring and didn't think any further. But he made the effort, he wanted something special because he cares and he loves you. Isn't that a lot more worth than what other people think about it? You're marrying him. Not them.

I'd suggest wearing it on a necklace as well, however, you said it wasn't possible, so I second the suggestions of mentioning the issue with work and how it doesn't fit properly and talk it through with him. You'll surely find a solution.

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It's nice he noticed her preference for butterflies. That doesn't mean she wants to wear a butterfly on her finger. Most of us love skating. I would HATE an engagement ring that was a diamond skate. I would rather have a plain band than a ring that looks like a fun piece of jewelry for the right hand. That's just me.

If OP feels this way, it's no good to say wear it as a necklace, that's not what you get an engagement ring for. And who besides a high school girl (or jr high) wears a ring on a chain anyway? She isn't going steady, she's engaged.